Seastside Newsletter #85

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Bellevue:

News:

• Teen arrested for kidnapping, robbery in Bellevue: A 17-year-old was arrested August 20 for kidnapping another teen at gunpoint in May, forcing him into his own car and driving him around Bellevue while attempting to use his credit cards at various locations before dumping him in rural North Bend. The victim reported the crime after reaching a nearby residence, leading to a months-long investigation that resulted in the suspect's arrest in Redmond on charges of first-degree kidnapping and robbery. Police are reminding people to use caution when meeting strangers online and to call 911 if they feel unsafe. (info)

• Beloved Bellevue swim club dodges closure over financial woes: Bellevue's historic Samena Swim and Recreation Club avoided shutting down in October 2025 after the community rallied to help close a $1-2 million funding gap caused by rising maintenance, utility, and wage costs that have jumped up to 30% since 2020. The 67-year-old facility, which serves over 23,000 members and teaches swimming to 150+ kids annually, voted Monday to continue operations after getting close enough to their fundraising goal through their "Save Samena" campaign. The club is still seeking donations and considering membership price increases to ensure long-term survival of what supporters call one of Bellevue's last affordable community gathering spaces. (info)

• Massive residential project approved for downtown Bellevue: The City of Bellevue has greenlit Pinnacle North, a 1.3 million-square-foot mixed-use development that will replace the existing Le Chateau Apartments with six towers ranging from 14 to 26 stories, containing 1,613 residential units including 85 affordable housing units. The project at 10112 NE 10th Street will feature 97,000 square feet of retail space including a supermarket, four public plazas with water features and art, underground parking for 1,784 cars, and amenities like a dog park and community garden. Construction will happen in two phases with completion expected around 2028, adding significant density and walkability improvements to downtown Bellevue's urban core. (info)

• Sound Transit's 2 Line sees rider growth amid new delays: Sound Transit's new Eastside light rail stations are attracting far more riders than expected, with July ridership hitting 306,000 boardings—a 47% jump from June and nearly double Sound Transit's original projections of 6,000 daily riders. Downtown Redmond has become the busiest Eastside station followed by Downtown Bellevue, while the 2 Line now rivals top King County Metro bus routes for usage. However, riders will have to wait until April 2026 for the full East Link Extension to connect across Lake Washington to Seattle, pushed back from earlier estimates due to construction delays, testing requirements, and unresolved technical issues. (info)

Events:

• Bellevue Farmers Market on September 4th. (info)

• End of Summer Senior Social on September 9th. (info)

• Opening: Little Farmers on September 11th. (info)

Bothell & Kenmore:

News:

• No news this week!

Events:

• Kenmore Business Alliance on September 4th. (info)

• Live Music | the Cottage on September 5th. (info)

• Community Blood Drive at Bothell Police on September 8th. (info)

• Bothell Business Forum on September 10th. (info)

• Kenmore Oktoberfest from September 13th to 21st. (info)

Fall City & Snoqualmie:

News:

• I-90 bridge repairs require weekend lane reductions Sept. 5-7: Westbound I-90 will be reduced to just one lane for 24 hours straight from 9 p.m. Friday, September 5 to 8 a.m. Sunday, September 7 in Issaquah as crews repair three aging bridges built in the early 1970s. The work will close up to three left lanes between the Front Street North off-ramp and Issaquah Creek, with a second round of repairs scheduled for September 12-14 that will also close the Front Street off-ramp entirely. Commuters should expect significant delays and consider alternate routes, with additional single-lane work planned for the final two weekends of September as part of ongoing pavement and bridge maintenance in eastern King County. (info)

• Thrasher Avenue sidewalk construction begins in early September: North Bend will start building a new sidewalk on the east side of Thrasher Avenue NE the week of September 2, along with curb, gutter, and stormwater improvements as part of the city's broader Sidewalk Gap Removal program to fix missing or damaged walkways. Contractor Fury SiteWorks will handle the construction, which includes pedestrian safety upgrades at the intersection of North Bend Way and Thrasher Avenue, with temporary lane closures expected during work. The project should be completed by mid-October, giving residents a safer walking route along this stretch of road. (info)

• Lane restrictions coming to SE Issaquah Fall City Road for chip seal work: King County Road Services will apply chip seal to multiple stretches of SE Issaquah Fall City Road between SE Duthie Hill Road and 329th Avenue SE from September 2-12, with work hours from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and possible Saturday shifts. Traffic will be guided by pilot cars through the construction zone, causing delays of up to 20 minutes, while crews spray asphalt and spread crushed gravel chips to extend the road's lifespan at a fraction of the cost of full resurfacing. Drivers are urged to go very slowly through work areas to prevent loose gravel from being kicked up, and the county will sweep away excess material after the surface cures for one to two days. (info)

Events:

• 5 Chamber Breakfast on September 5th. (info)

• Snoqualmie International Block Party on September 6th. (info)

• Snoqualmie Valley Connect Business Networking on September 11th. (info)

• Snoqualmie Ridge Community-Wide Fall Garage Sale on September 12-14. (info)

Issaquah:

News:

• No new news this week!

Events:

• Wine & ArtWalk on September 5th. (info)

• Issaquah Culture Fest on September 5th. (info)

• Blackberry Restoration on September 6th. (info)

• Diversify Whitewater on September 6th. (info)

• Issaquah Farmers Market on September 6th. (info)

• Classic Swagger Car Show on September 7th. (info)

Kirkland:

News:

• Kirkland Grocery Outlet crash victim identified as beloved church member: Sheila Stanton, a 30-year Kirkland resident and active community leader, was killed Sunday when a 74-year-old driver crashed into a Grocery Outlet store, also seriously injuring three others including a woman and her 12-year-old son. Stanton served as a commissioner for Washington's Commission for African American Affairs and was a 15-year member of St. John's Episcopal Church, where she had attended a community dinner just the night before the crash. The store remains closed as restoration crews work to repair damage, while community members including the Kirkland mayor plan to honor Stanton's decades of volunteer service and advocacy work at an upcoming city council meeting. (info)

• Vehicle crashes into Bridle Trails Grocery Outlet: An elderly driver crashed into the front of a Grocery Outlet in Kirkland's Bridle Trails neighborhood around 2 p.m. Saturday, seriously injuring four people including the driver and killing one person who died while being transported to the hospital. Emergency crews from Kirkland, Redmond, and Bellevue responded to treat the victims, while Kirkland Police secured the scene and launched an investigation into what caused the crash. The store sustained significant damage to its front entrance and interior, with police working alongside the property owner to ensure the building is safely secured while the investigation continues. (info)

Events:

• Juanita Friday Market on September 5th. (info)

• See Spot Splash on September 6th. (info)

• Youth Council Meeting on September 8th. (info)

• City Hall for All on September 13th. (info)

• Senior Resource Fair on September 18th. (info)

• Kirkland Alliance of Neighborhoods (KAN) City Council Candidate Forum on October 14th. (info)

Mercer Island:

News:

• Mercer Island schools reassess abuse protocols after outcry: The Mercer Island School District is reviewing how it handles sexual misconduct allegations after criticism of its response to longtime teacher Gary “Chris” Twombley, who was accused of abusing students but quietly resigned in 2025. Superintendent Fred Rundle pledged new staff training and closer coordination with police, while parents and community members accused the district of a cover-up and demanded greater transparency. (info)

• Mercer Island to remove and replace hazardous trees: The City of Mercer Island will remove 52 dead, dying, or diseased trees in September to improve safety, followed by a large replanting program in fall and winter. City arborists certified in tree risk assessment identified the removals, and last year the City replanted nearly nine trees for every one removed. (info)

Events:

• Art Uncorked on Sep. 6th from 3-7pm. (info)

• Mercer Island Farmers Market on Sep. 7th from 10am-2pm. (info)

• Coffee and Conversations with King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci (info)

Redmond:

News:

• Microsoft fires 4 employees after protest at president’s office: Microsoft terminated four employees after a group broke into company president Brad Smith’s office in Redmond to protest alleged ties to Israel, with activists demanding the company cut Azure contracts linked to Israeli military surveillance. The company called the conduct “entirely unacceptable,” launched an internal investigation, and is cooperating with law enforcement amid ongoing employee-led demonstrations. (info)

• IKEA opening planning and pickup center in Redmond IKEA will launch a new 2,730-square-foot “Plan & order point with Pick-up” store in Redmond Town Center this winter, offering design consultations and online order pickups but no in-store inventory or food services. To mark the opening, IKEA is donating $25,000 in furnishings to Plymouth Housing, supporting housing for King County residents experiencing homelessness. (info)

Events:

• Redmond Ganesh Festival on Sep. 5 from 5-9:30pm. (info)

• Redmond Town Center Exotics Car Show on Sep. 6 from 9-11am. (info)

• Trivia at Postdoc Brewing on Sep. 10 from 8-9:45pm. (info)

Renton:

News:

• Man stabbed in neck outside Renton bar: A 36-year-old man was stabbed in the neck during an argument near JP’s Barroom on Williams Avenue South Sunday night; staff rushed to stop the bleeding before he was taken to the hospital for surgery. Police arrested a 41-year-old suspect, described by witnesses as a man experiencing homelessness, who was identified after leaving an open tab at the bar. (info)

• Halloween Costume Swap returns Sept. 27: Renton’s annual costume swap encourages donations of gently used costumes Sept. 14–26, with a community pick-up event and photo area on Sept. 27. (info)

• Scout Night on Oct. 7: Renton Fire and Police host a free interactive evening for K–5 youth with stations on firefighting, emergency preparedness, CPR, and more; registration required. (info)

• Houser Way North closure Sept. 2–Dec. 31: A 120-day closure supports water main and storm drain improvements tied to WSDOT’s I-405 widening and toll lane project. (info)

• Man drowns fleeing police at Renton park: A 43-year-old man drowned after entering the water at Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park to evade Renton police responding to a suspicious vehicle call; a female companion was detained safely. The Valley Independent Investigative Team is reviewing the incident as an in-custody death, one of several water-related emergencies in the region that same weekend. (info)

Events:

• Summer Thirstday Game Night on Sep. 4 from 6-9pm. (info)

• Pinball Tournament on Sep. 5th from 8-10pm. (info)

• Emergency Preparedness 101 on September 10th. (info)

Sammamish:

News:

• Two hospitalized after Lake Sammamish rescue: Two people were pulled from the water at Lake Sammamish State Park on Saturday night and taken to Overlake Medical Center after bystanders and officers performed CPR for at least 30 minutes. Authorities called the incident an accident, marking it the third major water-related emergency in the region that weekend. (info)

Events:

• Sunset with the Symphony on September 4th. (info)

• Coffee with Council on September 6th. (info)

Woodinville:

News:

• Murder-suicide investigated in Woodinville home Deputies found a 62-year-old man and 52-year-old woman dead inside a residence on 102nd Avenue SE, with no one else present. The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office is treating the case as a murder-suicide and says there is no ongoing threat to the public. (info)

Events:

• All Night Happy Hour at The Cottage on Sep. 4th (info)

• Bites & Beats: MArket & Bar Dojo at the Chateau Ste. Michelle Summer Concert Series on Sep. 4th. (info)

• Music in the Alley at Wine Alley on September 5th. (info)

What we are currently loving!

• Red House (Renton): Old Renton’s cozy standby runs on shareable tapas and elevated comfort plates—yes, there are gochujang-honey wings, shellfish in white wine, and a wagyu burger when you’re not splitting. Slide in for the 4–6pm happy hour and a glass from the curated wine list or a draft; it’s the kind of laid-back spot where a quick snack reliably turns into a second round.

• Montalcino Ristorante Italiano (Issaquah): Issaquah’s date-night icon is tiny, candlelit, and unapologetically classic—handmade pastas, rich sauces, and an Italian-leaning cellar in a room built for lingering. Book early and let the team steer; the place is historically tied to the Nardone family now behind Kirkland’s crooner-filled Rimini, so old-school charm comes standard.

Vibes:

• Bellevue kicks off the week under sunshine with temperatures warming into the low eighties by midweek—perfect for lingering over morning coffee or an alfresco lunch. As the week progresses, the heat gives way to more seasonal coolness with cloudy skies setting the tone for a cozy Friday into the weekend. By early next week, a chance of afternoon showers brings that gentle reminder that fall is quietly approaching.